Board of Directors December Update

A Message from the Board

There has been significant activity in our community recently concerning the water system. We want to provide an update on the progress and challenges of the past two weeks with our new operators in place.

Progress and Achievements

1. Repairs and Maintenance

• Over the past two weeks, Gaylen Coleman and his family have repaired a road bore leak and  7+ water line breaks, with 2 more planned for Monday.
• Installed 2 automatic flush valves to improve water circulation and reduce odor and iron sediment with multiple other automatic flush valves planned. With proper circulation of the water Mr. Coleman believes we can lower sediment levels below the state minimums that would trigger chemical injection as a treatment for sediment, a very costly and time-consuming solution we’re hoping to avoid. 
• Installed a new meter in the Well 1 shed and submitted two clean water samples for Well 2. If the next sample is clean, Well 2 can be brought back online.
• Replaced failing PVC supply lines with poly and repaired inoperable valves.
• Completed 3 state violation requests uncovered in April.

2. Field Operations

• Field Operator Derek Goyne:
• Pulled 7 meters from vacated or canceled properties.
• Identified and addressed leaks, including a significant leak causing a loss of 300,000 gallons.
• Continued planning for meter and equipment upgrades.
• Assisted in leak detection with G&S

3. Dispatch and Customer Support

• Dispatch lead Debbie Goyne has taken over 30 calls in 14 days, addressing leaks, low pressure, and billing inquiries while also assisting customers with setting up autopay.

4. Financial and Administrative Efforts

• Accounting lead Morgan Irvin has been scanning and organizing customer documents, preparing for an upcoming audit, and aligning financial practices with state requirements.
• Board members have made strides on grant applications, including a completed $25,000 USDA grant application and a $200,000 test well funding application.

Challenges and Setbacks

Deferred Maintenance The extent of deferred maintenance is much greater than anticipated. Repairs and upgrades have revealed additional issues requiring immediate attention and resources.

Grant and Funding Limitations

• DWSC was ineligible for certain grants due to missing data submissions over the past two years. With assistance from Ardurra Engineering, we obtained a state exception, allowing us to use estimates to proceed with some applications.
• Easements: Only 14 notarized easements are on file, limiting access to state and federal grant funds. Filing costs have increased but the Board is working to rectify this issue, and will not pass this cost on to members. The current board cannot and will not make today’s customers pay for mistakes made in the past. However, what would have been half the price years ago now cost $29 per easement recorded. Due to our lack of filed easements, we are not eligible for State or federal grant funding to improve infrastructure on lines, meters, or repairs on private land. This requirement has been in our tariff since 1990.  Adhering to our tariff moving forward is a critical step to bring our system into compliance, and is the only way to the large grants our system needs. 

Administrative Hurdles

• Critical documents, such as the Emergency Preparedness Plan, were not completed in prior years, resulting in compliance deadlines and potential fines of $5,000 a day.  This document alone is 45 pages of detailed information and takes valuable time away from other system needs that board members could address. 

Team Efforts

Board Contributions

• Members and their families have volunteered time and resources to support operators and reduce costs.
• Recent accomplishments include:
• Insulating the chlorine room.
• Installing fencing at Well 1.
• Managing service line inventory updates and database improvements.
• Installation of a generator at Well 3 with the assistance of Billy McCraken 

Looking Ahead Despite these challenges, we remain committed to providing clean, reliable water to every community member. Key focus areas include:

• Continuing repair work and system improvements.
• Securing additional grant funding.
• Completing compliance documentation to avoid fines and ensure eligibility for future grants.

Thank You for Your Support

We appreciate the patience and trust of our community as we navigate these challenges. We are confident in the abilities of our team and operators to move forward. For those with doubts, please know that failure is not an option for us. We will overcome these obstacles and build a better water system for everyone.

We would also like to express our gratitude to Betty Bryant for her leadership of the Credentials Committee. Ensuring a fair and lawful election and meeting process has been no small task, and the Board deeply appreciates Betty's time and effort in assisting us with this important undertaking. Without the help from this community the task ahead is almost impossible so thank you to those who have offered their time and money to aid in the improvement of this water system for the entire DeBerry community. 

Thank you,

Sara Edwards, Matt Tillman, Tammy Walters, Mary Robinson, Steve Werner
DeBerry Water Supply Corporation Board of Directors